WCC MC Parking Proposal

[PuppetMaster]

Guys
Has anyone heard about this madness ?
I cant find anything on the website.

Somewhere in this site is an agenda for parking services and enforcement dept meeting 1st March to discuss the proposal to apply
a $1 per hour per motorcycle in all bike parks because it is projected to raise $100000 per year.

http://www.wellington.govt.nz/haveyoursay/meetings/committee/Strategy_and_Policy/2006/01Mar0915/agenda.html

[enigma51]

Dont worry mate they will first try it in auckland before "rolling" it out to other parts of the country!

[Devil]

WTF.
Rise up people. Protect your parking!

[XP@]

Urrrmm.... crazier things have happened!

Can you see where the proposal is on the page, have had a look and can't seem to locate it...

We should keep an eye on it just in case action is needed.

[Mooch]

Winners ,
Everybody take your 4 wheel drive to work instead and clog up the city. Next year it'll be push bikes , Bet ya half those WCC pricks get there parks paid for.

[bugjuice]

can't see it, can't be arsed to find it..

how they gonna police it anyway?

[XP@]

can't see it, can't be arsed to find it..

how they gonna police it anyway?
ParkWise...
then they will get heaps of additional revenue on windy days when all the tickets are blown down the street.

[PuppetMaster]

Update: If you want to state your objections to this proposal, please email
fiona.dunlop@wcc.govt.nz and she will table the emails to the powers that be.

And if that doesnt work. Hook up Fiona's email with some dodgy viagra and porn sites.

[imdying]

Well I emailed her, hope it helps.

[RantyDave]

I've mailed her too. And my local councillor (who's a bit of a petrolhead).

Dave

[Karma]

So they're gonna start charging for motorcycle parking?

Perhaps if they're seriously thinking about this we should stage a protest...

Something like getting as many bikers together as possible and parking along the pavement in the city centre highstreet.... Wellington can do it outside the beehive or something, and us Aucklanders can clog up Queen Street.

I'm sure they'd soon change their minds.

PS. Email sent.

[Deano]

User pays is here to stay peeps. You don't get much for free these days.

[RantyDave]

User pays is here to stay peeps. You don't get much for free these days.
I am fucking paying. What do WCC think my rates are for?

[nudemetalz]

I have heard about this proposal at work already and have "STRONGLY" voiced my objections !!

Going to see what else I can do.

[st3]

Stop the crazziness - make your objections known!

[jimdaworm]

Like the 4x4 coment, we should be encouraging transport that doesnt clog up the inter city roads. Bikes/Motorbikes:Police:

[ZeroIndex]

If someone can start one of those web petitions (if I knew how, I would start one), but yeah, if someone starts one, I'll sign it

[Streetwise]

Yea well its the way of the world,,,, The reality is we have a property developer as a mayor, Stick it to her. Take off your plate when you, park your bike, Try and ticket that.!!!! hahaha

[Str8 Jacket]

Yea well its the way of the world,,,, The reality is we have a property developer as a mayor, Stick it to her. Take off your plate when you, park your bike, Try and ticket that.!!!! hahaha

Unfortunately they'll just tow them away then.....

[riffer]

Like the 4x4 coment, we should be encouraging transport that doesnt clog up the inter city roads. Bikes/Motorbikes:Police:

WCC Policy does encourage bikes. It just doesn't encourage bikes with engines.

[riffer]

Yea well its the way of the world,,,, The reality is we have a property developer as a mayor, Stick it to her. Take off your plate when you, park your bike, Try and ticket that.!!!! hahaha

Ever tried doing a search based on a VIN plate?

Better get rid of that too :msn-wink:

[Karma]

And while you're at it... you'll need to chain it down so they can't move it.

[Str8 Jacket]

Knowing how Govt agencies work if you go to extreme lengths to "fight" them then they'll prob just clamp your bike so that you couldnt move it if you tried and the only way it would be removed would be if you paid the fee. Failing that they'd probably use bolt cutter or whatever they had to do to remove the vehicle to another yard then you'd have to pay a fee to get it back. Either way the Govt/councils or whatever will usually win.
The thing that worries me is that if they do start charging bikes to park then they may police the footpaths and make sure where not parking there either.... could imagine that the fine for parking on the footpath would be increased too. Its all about money, as Deano said user pays, doesnt seem to be fair tho!

[madboy]

Hmmm... so I can pay $9-$10 a day to park my bike on the street where I have no control over what plonkers do to it all day, or I can park it securely at work for $11/day. What a choice I face.

BTW - having no plate and parking on the footpath hasn't involved a ticket yet.

From my office window I can see a bike park. It has room for approximately 2 cars. What do they pay, $4 an hour? In that park and the surrounding footpaths are approx 19 bikes. That's a good financial return for the council.

[Toast]

Mail sent. Every little voice helps...

[ZeroIndex]

Knowing how Govt agencies work if you go to extreme lengths to "fight" them then they'll prob just clamp your bike so that you couldnt move it if you tried and the only way it would be removed would be if you paid the fee. Failing that they'd probably use bolt cutter or whatever they had to do to remove the vehicle to another yard then you'd have to pay a fee to get it back. Either way the Govt/councils or whatever will usually win.
The thing that worries me is that if they do start charging bikes to park then they may police the footpaths and make sure where not parking there either.... could imagine that the fine for parking on the footpath would be increased too. Its all about money, as Deano said user pays, doesnt seem to be fair tho!

unless you clamp it yourself (does anyone remember that car scene in Coyote Ugly)...
or you could get flame-thrower thingies if anyone tries to move your bike that get slightly 'warmed up'

[hsvboy06]

Hmmm... so I can pay $9-$10 a day to park my bike on the street where I have no control over what plonkers do to it all day, or I can park it securely at work for $11/day. What a choice I face.
Or you can park it in a car parking building for about the same cost, taking up a whole car parking space, possibly forcing more cars out onto the street. (Imagine driving in a car around a parking building, desperately searching for an empty spot, only to find 10 bikes parked up, one per spot...)

FTR, some parking buildings let motorbikes park for $2 or $3 per day (using space that is too small for cars), which all of a sudden seems like a good deal!

[Karma]

Imagine driving in a car around a parking building, desperately searching for an empty spot, only to find 10 bikes parked up, one per spot...

Didn't someone mention something like this in Oz a month or two back?

Could you imagine if we all got up early and went into the CBD, each and every one of us takes a different space so that the cars can't get in.

That would be pretty sweet.

[ZeroIndex]

Didn't someone mention something like this in Oz a month or two back?

Could you imagine if we all got up early and went into the CBD, each and every one of us takes a different space so that the cars can't get in.

That would be pretty sweet.
that would cause them to rethink their madnes...

[RantyDave]

Could you imagine if we all got up early and went into the CBD, each and every one of us takes a different space so that the cars can't get in.
Now that is getting towards being a good idea.

Where's most visible from the council? Where's most visible from the führer's office?

Dave

[Karma]

Dunno man... but I'm a Dorklander, so unless they wanna use their spy satellite, they ain't gonna see me.

[Mooch]

that would cause them to rethink their madnes...

Who was it that suggested the following ? Sounds like a interesting idea.

A set of various slow moving motorcycles groups commuting into Wellington.

1 lot to cover SH1 ,
1 lot to cover SH2
Petone foreshore
Mirimar to town
Island Bay / Newtown
Central city
Oriental Bay

[riffer]

Well, it was good enough for the Foreshore and Seabed Hikoi to hold up traffic on the motorway at Korokoro and Aotea Quay.

This is sounding like a great idea!

I would suggest around 8.00-8.15 approximately one kilometre south of Ngauranga Gorge. A convoy of at least 50 bikes.

But you'd have to completely stop. As the traffic's usually going about 10km/hr they wouldn't notice you going slow...

[nudemetalz]

Urrrmm.... crazier things have happened!

Can you see where the proposal is on the page, have had a look and can't seem to locate it...

We should keep an eye on it just in case action is needed.

PM sent....

[XP@]

Ok, Aparently, if this proposal makes it in to the annual plan for consultation then we will be able to make a submission on it during the 4 weeks after April 12th. so watch this space :-)

[Toast]

Sent an email to this Fiona girl. Got the following in return:

Hi there

Just to let you know that I'm not the person in Council who is proposing the charge for motorcycle parking. I agreed to be the receiver of emails to let those concerned have their views put before the committee today.

The Strategy and Policy Committee are meeting over the next few days to consider items to be put into the Annual Plan for consultation. Annual Plan Consultation will be open to those concerned for a period of 4 weeks from 12 April. Submissions can be made on the proprosals contained in the Annual plan. Submission forms will be available online through the Council website.

If you could please convey to your contacts the above, that would be much appreciated.

Fiona Dunlop
Senior Committee Adviser
Democratic Services
DDI 801-3465
FAX 801-3020

[imdying]

Someone didn't like the volume of email they were getting....

[Skunk]

So if we don't email Fiona who do we email? Guess we'll find out after 12 April.

[adyone]

what about a single bike in each carpark on the terrace and along lambton quay. Ahundred bikes there for a couple of hours a day for a week would make a statement.

[Blakamin]

So who's organising the protest ride? I'm there.

email i received:

I thought this was very important so I’ve emailed you all…

Wellington City Council votes tomorrow to begin charging for motorcycle
parking! $1.00 per hour all over the city.

We believe this to be an utterly ludicrous proposal, which flies in the
face of the council’s objectives of dissuading drivers from bringing
their cars to the city and thus reducing pressure on the cities roads
and parking.

At a dollar per hour, that will make it as expensive as parking your
car for the week.

What incentive would there be to take your bike to work when it's cold
or wet? Instant gridlock. What a well thought out plan, the extra
roading costs will more than eat up their parking revenue.

Please email fiona.dunlop@wcc.govt.nz and politely express your
outrage.

As we all know, motorcycles are part of the solution not the problem.

Well, thanks for your time.
Kind regards
Mark Hodson
The link to fiona dunlop consists of a heap of email addresses:
fiona.dunlop@wcc.govt.nz; bryan.pepperell@wcc.govt.nz; ray.ahipene-mercer@wcc.govt.nz; robert.armstrong@wcc.govt.nz; stephanie.cook@wcc.govt.nz; andy.foster@wcc.govt.nz; leonie.gill@wcc.govt.nz; rob.goulden@wcc.govt.nz; ian.mckinnon@wcc.govt.nz; helene.ritchie@wcc.govt.nz; jack.ruben@wcc.govt.nz; alick.shaw@wcc.govt.nz; celia.wade-brown@wcc.govt.nz; hayley.wain@wcc.govt.nz; kerry.prendergast@wcc.govt.nz

[Zapf]

well.. I have emailed WCC too...even thou I am from Auckland... I can see that if one council takes it up then they'll be used as an example and we can all expected to be charged.

Make it heard guys.... and plan your protest ride for day before they vote on it.

Perhaps organise it with bikers in Wellington and then ride to the Council building to voice it with a Counciler in person.

[ajturbo]

Didn't someone mention something like this in Oz a month or two back?

Could you imagine if we all got up early and went into the CBD, each and every one of us takes a different space so that the cars can't get in.

That would be pretty sweet.

ok if you guys need me .. i'll be there!!!:ar15: fuckin tossers, hope this is just a post to wine us up!..:thud:

[Drum]

This is bloody serious. We cant afford to be slack about this one, and must fight it strongly when the time comes! Aucklanders must help too or you'll be next. This equates to around $2000 a year just for an 8 hour working day!

[Ixion]

I have also emailed an objection for the same reasons as Mr Zaph

[MD]

Right behind you Guys. I emailed my disgust at $1 an hour. Make if $4 an hour same as for cars. We must defend equality whenever it's under attack.
:nya:

[riffer]

Yeah, I got an email from Mark@WMCC too.

I was going to post the email addy's but got beaten to it. It's just a damn pity my aunt isn't a Councillor any more. She would have sorted them out.

I've sent this:

Dear Councillors<o =""></o>
<o =""></o>
As a motorcyclist I feel very strongly about your plan to charge for motorcycles to park in the city.<o =""></o>
<o =""></o>
If you decide to charge $1 an hour for us to park in the city, it will then become uneconomic for me to bring my motorcycle into town each day. I make the trip from Upper Hutt to <st1:city w:st="on"><st1 ="">Wellington</st1></st1:city> each week day in order to work.
<o =""></o><o =""></o>
If I have to bring my car (a Honda Odyssey) it will add to morning traffic congestion, as well as take up more space in the city.<o =""></o>
<o =""></o>
I choose to ride a motorcycle to work in an effort to ease traffic congestion, as well as reduce strain on our planet’s resources. I assure you it’s not very pleasant to do this in mid-winter when it’s freezing and pouring with rain.

If you choose to charge me for parking, I might as well bring the car. <o =""></o>
<o =""></o>
And I’ll be warm and dry. And as for increased traffic congestion, and more pollution, well, that’s not really my problem any more is it? Because after all, despite their stated objectives, it appears the City Council really doesn’t care about traffic congestion if there’s a buck to be made.<o =""></o>
<o =""></o>
Please remember all the motorcyclists who make this effort when you vote. There are an awful lot of us. And we have very long memories.

<o =""></o>
<o =""></o>
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[riffer]

Just received this:


Thanks Simon



Please excuse what is going to be a standard reply - there is a good grapevine going amongst motorcyclists.



The proposal to charge for motorcycle parking is just one of about a dozen ideas put up by officers as budget options. The motorcycle charge doesn't seem to fit with our transport strategy which is indeed about reducing energy use by promoting alternatives to one person per car type commuting. (good urban form, walking, cycling, public transport, motorcycling etc) As a city we have been pretty successful in that. The % of people commuting by car has been dropping which is great.



If the proposal does survive councillors' debates in the next couple of days (I suspect somewhat unlikely given the level of reaction already) , please remember it remains a proposal and subject to consultation and public submissions, and would not come into effect until some time after the beginning of July, so please do make a submission in that instance. However if it doesn't please still take a look at the rest of the budget (the somewhat long windedly titled 'Long Term Council Community Plan' or LTCCP) because there are a lot of important issues in there for the city - and we will also be consulting on our Economic, Environmental, Social, Cultural, Transport, Urban Development and Governance Strategies. I personally would be particularly interested in feedback on priorities - ie what is really important, and what is less important, and in what people think about areas we can and should save money in. (We'll have to make up for not charging for motorcycle parking for starters !)



Please feel free to call me or email me with any thoughts or questions on any Council issues.



Kind regards


Andy Foster

Wellington City Councillor

Urban Development Leader

ph 04 4769220/ 0274 883 524

[nudemetalz]

That's a great answer I must say (even though I work for WCC).

[Slingshot]

Lets organise a protest ride just for the hell of it...even if the council decides against charging for motorcycle parking.

As I wasn't around in the 60's and 70's and feel that I've missed on the protest action!!!


And I want to ride my bike up the steps of parliament. :2thumbsup

[Zapf]

Got the same reply as you Riffer, am glad he is taking the effort at 9:55pm :)

If council is hunting for money its eventually going to come from some place... its a pretty good point...

[Pixie]

If you are going to be made to pay,then you deserve to have a whole parking place for each bike.
Stage a protest,a few hundred bikes,each using one parking spot,will soon change their minds.

They tried to force bikes to use one spot per bike in the 50's or 60's in Auckland.
To keep the milk bar cowboys away.
Only lasted a week apparently.

[Karma]

Please excuse what is going to be a standard reply - there is a good grapevine going amongst motorcyclists.

If the proposal does survive councillors' debates in the next couple of days (I suspect somewhat unlikely given the level of reaction already)

Two key quotes here I feel...

Firstly they know we can communicate and will speak out against things which bother us, and secondly they know they have more coming if they continue like this.

I'd suggest continuing with the eMails anyway... just to show we mean business. :kick:

[Velox]

I don't think it is just a case of user pays. The council has a whole lot of other stuff that they're trying to promote and less traffick congestion and greenhouse gases are one of them. Making people pay taxes or getting subsidies (which is pretty much what parking money is right) is a main way that the govt influences behaviour so this all seems a bit ridiculous.

[Bandit Rider]

Just received this:


Thanks Simon



Please excuse what is going to be a standard reply - there is a good grapevine going amongst motorcyclists.



The proposal to charge for motorcycle parking is just one of about a dozen ideas put up by officers as budget options. The motorcycle charge doesn't seem to fit with our transport strategy which is indeed about reducing energy use by promoting alternatives to one person per car type commuting. (good urban form, walking, cycling, public transport, motorcycling etc) As a city we have been pretty successful in that. The % of people commuting by car has been dropping which is great.



If the proposal does survive councillors' debates in the next couple of days (I suspect somewhat unlikely given the level of reaction already) , please remember it remains a proposal and subject to consultation and public submissions, and would not come into effect until some time after the beginning of July, so please do make a submission in that instance. However if it doesn't please still take a look at the rest of the budget (the somewhat long windedly titled 'Long Term Council Community Plan' or LTCCP) because there are a lot of important issues in there for the city - and we will also be consulting on our Economic, Environmental, Social, Cultural, Transport, Urban Development and Governance Strategies. I personally would be particularly interested in feedback on priorities - ie what is really important, and what is less important, and in what people think about areas we can and should save money in. (We'll have to make up for not charging for motorcycle parking for starters !)



Please feel free to call me or email me with any thoughts or questions on any Council issues.



Kind regards


Andy Foster

Wellington City Councillor

Urban Development Leader

ph 04 4769220/ 0274 883 524

My Reply to Andy Foster below.

The more noise we make about this the better - let them find an easier target. Send emails - this will spread out of Wellington if it gets underway.


"Thanks Andy,

The background is helpful.

In relation to the “just a proposal” element, proposals of this kind in themselves are negative. People will not commit to alternative transport if “the rules” may change in six months time. It does involve a commitment of some thousands of dollars in the case of motorcycles. I agree the WCC has made a commitment to ecologically sound transport alternatives, it is important to be seen to be consistently committed, and not entertain public “brain-storming” that will discourage adoption of what you are seeking to encourage.

Making it convenient for users of alternative transport is critical if you want to get people out of cars. I would regularly cycle as well as use a motorcycle, except the office I am in now does not have a shower (only about 10 years old). Why is it not a requirement that office buildings have showers as part of the building code? Consistent commitment throughout the WCC’s area of responsibility is necessary.

In relation to alternative sources of revenue, first charges for motorcycle spaces would be a new source of revenue, not the loss of a source of revenue. The potential sources of revenue are essentially unending; you could charge an admittance fee for the library, but there are very good reasons not to contemplate that. It does not make sense to regard failure to charge for library admittance as revenue forgone – it is simply not an option if you want to achieve the objectives the WCC seeks from the library. Similarly, street space is a resource, it can be used for footpaths, roading, parking, leased to restaurants, gardens, etc. The use and revenue to be raised is dictated by an integrated allocation of the resource, using an area for a garden/seating is not revenue lost, it is simply a necessary element in making the city a place where people want to be.

Furthermore, without having the figures I suspect the profit margin on charging for motorcycle parks would be limited, after covering the additional costs of policing them. If so raising equivalent net revenue from car parks would be a small percentage increase – as it does not increase costs only revenue. If you want to discourage cars, charge more for carparks. But, there are limits - make it too inconvenient/expensive for people to come into the city and you affect commerce, and erode your rating base.

Just dealing with the transport issue, there is a fine balance. If you just want less cars and to save money stop capital works on roading. At peak hours many roads are at capacity or over capacity, gridlock discourages cars. It is also a very negative aspect of living in a city – Wellington has a significant advantage over Auckland in that regard.

In essence the objective is to maximise the use of efficient transport – public transport, cycles, motorcycles, walking etc. Therefore create bus lanes – don’t hesitate to speed up buses and slow down cars. Make sure the environment is safe for vulnerable road users – some policing of aggressive behaviour toward cyclist is long overdue. Make it more convenient to use a small car in town – why not reduce the size of some car parking spaces, and make them cheaper to encourage small cars. If there is a cost either fiscal, or inconvenience, impose it on the behaviour you want to discourage."

[Zapf]

Reply from

Celia Wade-Brown - celia.wade-brown AT wcc.govt.nz @ 03/01/2006 10:38 PM

Thanks for contacting me.

I agree that more sustainable transport should be encouraged.
I doubt the motorbike charge will even be proposed in the draft budget. As a frequent cyclist, I share many issues about driver inattention and surface conditions.

When the draft "Long Term Council Community Plan" - (Council budget plus strategies) goes out for consultation in April/May, please have your say on the wider issues of sustainable transport: travel demand management, cycling, walking, public transport and more fuel efficient motorised vehicles havinmg priority over one person one car.

Regards
Celia

[Pwalo]

[QUOTE=Slingshot]Lets organise a protest ride just for the hell of it...even if the council decides against charging for motorcycle parking.

As I wasn't around in the 60's and 70's and feel that I've missed on the protest action!!!

Hey Slingshot I was around in the 70's anyway, and believe me protests weren't really that exciting. But it would be good to ride up the steps at Parliament. You'll just need to get a set of knobblies for the R6.

BTY is your R6 one of the black ones with the flame decals? One of these, 2 up, followed me up the Newlands off ramp the other evening. Looked damn nice.

[imdying]

Here's what was in my inbox this morning:


Hi
Thank you so much for your support to stop this outrageous proposal to charge motorcyclists a parking fee in Wellington. I only just picked up on it in the 1000 page report to Council's S&P committee yesterday and so I have been busy seeking your support at the 11th hr. Please tell your friends and fellow motorcyclists to speak up just as you have or we shall be on the back foot. We are already over charged for registration and double and triple charged for ACC. Keep up the pressure as if makes a difference as I go into battle on your behalf.

Cheers
Ducati owner
Bryan Pepperell
Wellington City Councillor


www.pepptalk.net

[XP@]

This is probably is not much interest But It does give an idea of where the cities money is coming from

http://www.localcouncils.govt.nz/lgip.nsf/wpg_url/Councils-A-Z-Councils-Wellington-City-Council-F6

It also has info on all the other councils.

Oh, and I programmed the site ... well we have to make money somewhere... :(

[bungbung]

I received:

Dear Ola

On behalf of the Mayor, Kerry Prendergast, thank you for your email.

I will ensure your message is brought to the Mayor's attention.

Yours sincerely

Robin Roush


and:

Dear Ola

Thank you for your message.

The Council has not begun to consider its position on any proposal to charge for parking motorcycles. This morning we begin making decisions on our budget for next year and this is one of a very large number of possibilities that have been put to us by officials. Of course we are obliged to consider them all and I am sure that as residents or ratepayers you would expect us to do so.

Nonetheless a number of councillors have already expressed similar concerns to those you have set out. I share those concerns and I would be surprised if parking fees for motorcycles are introduced in this budget.

Regards

Alick Shaw

DEPUTY MAYOR

[riffer]

Yeah, I've received mail from five councillors along the same lines as you guys have all posted.

I think they are getting the message.

[bungbung]

A reply from Kerry herself:

Dear Ola

Thank you for your recent email, I appreciate you sharing your concerns with me.

The possibility of charging for motorcycle parking is one of a range of ideas that have been put to Councillors for consideration and possible inclusion in the Draft Annual Plan. Over the next couple of days, Councillors will decide if they want this proposal to be included in the Draft Annual Plan, and publicly consulted on, or whether they wish to discard the proposal altogether.

I will take your comments into consideration when we debate this issue.

Thanks again for writing to me.

Yours sincerely

Kerry Prendergast

MAYOR

[Blakamin]

A reply from Kerry herself:

[I]Dear Ola

Thank you for your recent email, I appreciate you sharing your concerns with me.

blah blah blah


Same as what I got.
I got replies from 7 councillers though, including one at 12.15 am! It's a start:yes:

[Slingshot]

BTY is your R6 one of the black ones with the flame decals? One of these, 2 up, followed me up the Newlands off ramp the other evening. Looked damn nice.

Yeah...that's me.

Thanks

[Toast]

Here's what was in my inbox this morning:


Hi
Thank you so much for your support to stop this outrageous proposal to charge motorcyclists a parking fee in Wellington. I only just picked up on it in the 1000 page report to Council's S&P committee yesterday and so I have been busy seeking your support at the 11th hr. Please tell your friends and fellow motorcyclists to speak up just as you have or we shall be on the back foot. We are already over charged for registration and double and triple charged for ACC. Keep up the pressure as if makes a difference as I go into battle on your behalf.

Cheers
Ducati owner
Bryan Pepperell
Wellington City Councillor


www.pepptalk.net

Damn Bryan, I'll vote for you if you come to Akl any day :niceone:

[Bandit Rider]

I think they might be getting the message.

It is important that we let them know we are not happy - thanks to everyone who contributed - we need to keep up the pressure.

[What?]

Didn't someone mention something like this in Oz a month or two back?

Could you imagine if we all got up early and went into the CBD, each and every one of us takes a different space so that the cars can't get in.

That would be pretty sweet.
Don't know about Oz, but it happened here a few years ago when a certain council decided to get rid of all the bike parks to make way for a few extra car parks. The message got through...

[zooter]

In Melbourne the bikes and scooters park on the "pavement". Pavement being the paved area that's between the kerb and the buildings but somehow differentiated by common sense from the "footpath".
Your average Melbournian is pretty cvililised and the system works well. The pedestrians get where they're going, the bikes get their free parking and the available kerbside space is used for carparks.

When some Melbourne councillors decided to "tidy up the streetscape", or whatever their motivation was, and banish the bikes to paid parking, the bikers organised a "park in". 1 bike per park. Policy was reversed shortly thereafter.

Now what about applying the same pressure as what has been done with the $1/hr charging proposal to get the pavement made available for bike parking like it is in Melbourne?

There would be a hell of a lot more scooters and bikes being used for transport if you could legally leave it out of the way on the pavement. Most have nice painjobs and chrome and nicer to look at than concrete so what's the problem?

[Freakshow]

I have sent my letter of dis aproval and got a reply basicly dont hunt me I am the wrong person.

[Freakshow]

I have sent my letter of dis aproval and got a reply basicly dont hunt me I am the wrong person. I cant work out how they are going to work this crazy idea

[JohnBoy]

good going guys!!! good to see democracy working!! keep writing those letters!:2thumbsup

[kickingzebra]

Letters Kick ass!! The pen is mightier than the sword, but is the GSXR mightier than the pen...?? (I know which one I would rather ride!)
I just sent my letter, I live in hamilton, but HCC doesn't know that, and I have ridden there this year...

[Deano]

I don't think it is just a case of user pays. The council has a whole lot of other stuff that they're trying to promote and less traffick congestion and greenhouse gases are one of them. Making people pay taxes or getting subsidies (which is pretty much what parking money is right) is a main way that the govt influences behaviour so this all seems a bit ridiculous.

All very well - bikes cause less congestion, less pollution perhaps and a lot more economical than a car, especially when car only has one occupant. Car pooling is still probably a better option though - maybe cars with 4 occupants should park for free ? BUT - you get bugger all for free these days - why should you get a free park ?


I am fucking paying. What do WCC think my rates are for?

And the rates argument is crock - you still pay for a car park despite paying rates.

Car park can accomodate what, 6 bikes ? Divide the car rate by 6 - is it unreasonable to pay ? If not why ?

[Deano]

Letters Kick ass!! The pen is mightier than the sword, but is the GSXR mightier than the pen...?? (I know which one I would rather ride!)
I just sent my letter, I live in hamilton, but HCC doesn't know that, and I have ridden there this year...

WCC or HCC - hope you sent it to the right Council ?

[Bandit Rider]

It is looking good.

Got this reply from Celia Wade-Brown (Councillor).

"Re: Vote NO to Motorcycle Parking fees - We did!

...

I agree that more sustainable transport should be encouraged. As a frequent
cyclist, I share many issues about driver inattention and surface conditions.

As I expected, most councillors, including myself, did not favour the
proposal going into the draft LTCCP.

When the draft "Long Term Council Community Plan" - (LTCCP _ Council budget
plus strategies) goes out for consultation in April/May, please have your
say on the wider issues of sustainable transport: travel demand management,
cycling, walking, public transport and more fuel efficient motorised
vehicles havinmg priority over one person one car.

..."

[Drum]

A pat on the back to everyone who wrote in.
I wonder what else we could change?

[jimbo600]

Well it worked, From the good man Andy

Dear James

You'll be pleased to know that the proposal was defeated 7 votes (Crs
Pepperell, Cook, Gill, Shaw, Wade-Brown, Ruben, and Foster)
to 4 (Mayor Prendergast, Crs Morrison, Wain, Armstrong).

So the proposal for motorcylce fees is dumped.

Please though do take a look at what the draft plan has to say when it
is released in a few weeks time. There are a lot of important issues and
it would be great to hear from as many people as possible what they
think are the priorities, how we should/should not spend your money.
There are also all those Economic, Environmental, Social, Cultural,
Transport, Urban Development and Governance Strategies. They really are
important in shaping the city for the next few years, and in some cases
decades.

Kind Regards

Andy Foster
City Councillor
Urban Development Leader
Wellington City Council
Ph 4769220/ 0274 883 524

Next up free beer for motorcyclists.

[Karma]

Fantastic... just goes to show what you can do when we all club together eh...

Kudos to Puppetmaster for finding out about it in the first place.

[Skyryder]

So they're gonna start charging for motorcycle parking?

Perhaps if they're seriously thinking about this we should stage a protest...

Something like getting as many bikers together as possible and parking along the pavement in the city centre highstreet.... Wellington can do it outside the beehive or something, and us Aucklanders can clog up Queen Street.

I'm sure they'd soon change their minds.

PS. Email sent.


That's a serious good idea for a lot of things.

Skyryder

[Zapf]

Ermm... bad Mayor.... wants to charge for MC parking! Lets go spank him! :Punk:

[Skunk]

Ermm... bad Mayor.... wants to charge for MC parking! Lets go spank him! :Punk:
Spank her. Wellington is ruled by women. (Anyone remember The Two Ronnies? :killingme hmmm, second thoughts that's not funny...)

[Velox]

So Kerry voted for it! Riiiiight. How can she possibly do that considering the implications for traffick congestion, low-g.gas emissions and reduced parking demand!!! Is she in some other world? Surely she should be representing WCC's general aims and priorities as the mayor?
Argh.

[ajturbo]

So Kerry voted for it! Riiiiight. Surely she should be representing WCC's general aims and priorities as the mayor?
Argh.


and your point?? she was just thinking about her next pay raise and how she could justify it...

see all the extra money we are getting ...
well that didn't work...so lookout for something else:finger: :killingme :killingme :drinkup: